The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation has emerged as a significant threat to our democratic processes and informed decision-making of the electorate.

We make important decisions based on what we hear on social media and in the news.  When we are unable to distinguish between truth and mis/disinformation, it can cause confusion and misunderstandings, leaving a generalized sense that “you can’t believe anything anymore.” 

Mis/disinformation ultimately undermines trust in legitimate information sources, increases polarization in our society, and leads to misinformed decisions.

What’s the difference?

Misinformation:
Inadvertently sharing false information without the intent to  harm 

Disinformation:
Intentionally sharing false information with the intent to harm

How to spot mis/disinformation

We’re all susceptible to mis/disinformation, but the following steps will help you identify it :

1. Research the source: Who’s sharing this information? If it’s online, does the website sound familiar or have any political affiliations? If it’s in-person, does this individual tend to exaggerate, or do they have a job/experience that would give them insider info? 

2. Check the date: It’s easy to get incensed over an article being shared on social media...only to realize it was published years ago and has become irrelevant.

3. Cross-check: Are reliable news sources reporting the same information? If not, it’s unlikely that your smaller source just happened to get a super-exclusive, juicy scoop. 

4. Read past the headline: You know how tabloids post scandalous headlines and follow them with articles that are relatively mundane? Unfortunately, political outlets do that too. It’s easy to take a snippet out of context to make an article look like it will be more dramatic than it actually is. 

5. Question emotionally charged content: Is the person or outlet sharing this information using emotionally manipulative language to get you upset or excited? That’s a red flag. Reliable sources let the facts fuel your response, not emotional language. Check out some examples of loaded language. 

What can you do about it?

Don’t engage: When we see or hear mis/disinformation, our first instinct is to argue and present correct information. This is almost always a bad idea, especially online. Why?

• Every time you post a comment, or "like" another person's comment, or click the "angry" emoji, you are helping to spread the original post to more and more viewers. Responses on social media are exactly what bad actors need to achieve their goals. 

• When you debate online, you are usually debating with strangers and chatbots, and you are not likely to persuade them.   

• In-person discussions can also backfire, especially if they turn into arguments, accusations and anger. It takes preparation, empathy and mutual respect to change someone's mind about misinformation. 

Report it: Whenever you see disinformation online, report it to us. You can also report most social media posts to the platforms themselves. 

Learn more from our event series

UPCOMING EVENT
Sense of Media: A Framework and Introduction to Media Literacy
Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 pm, Virtual

Professor Michael Spikes has spent more than 15 years in the fields of media literacy education, news media literacy, and youth media. His research is centered on encouraging critical thinking to limit the effects of exposure to misinformation and disinformation. As we struggle to distinguish fact from fiction, the need for these skills have never been more urgent.

Please join us to learn more about recognizing mis- and disinformation in the media.